CRSSD Is Just The Beginning.
Just when you think summer is about to end, CRSSD festival surprises everyone with a line up that you simply cannot miss. The festival has announced its return to Waterfront Park in San Diego, September 23-24 as a start to the fall season. Lucky us, the beloved festival has once again delivered a diverse lineup highlighting the best in electronic music with a focus on house, techno, and eclectic live acts. Let’s get dancin’! This 21+ house and techno oasis has continued to build a dedicated fan base who flock to the oceanfront venue each year. At the fest, you get to witness three stages offering their own unique soundtrack and experience. And the festival itself is set in beautiful Downtown San Diego just steps from the Pacific Ocean. Waterfront Park provides the ideal urban venue complete with picturesque sunset views, splash-friendly fountains, and grassy lawns.
The amazing Ocean View stage continues to serve as CRSSD’s home for live performances and crossover dance triumphs.
The festival’s Ocean View stage welcomes British live electronic pioneers Underworld, whose seminal productions have soundtracked the world over since the early 90s, going on to inspire many generations of artists in their wake. They are joined by Grammy-awarded Australian export Flume, who drove the future-bass sound to global popularity and continues to be one of modern dance music’s most celebrated performers. Ocean View curation continues with fellow pioneer Fatboy Slim, Anjunadeep’s Ben Böhmer (live), piano-house icon LP Giobbi (who is my personal must-see artist), R&B crossover producer SG Lewis, and chart-toppers Elderbrook and Eliza Rose. The avant-garde remains in full view with Norway’s Röyksopp and Dutch torchbearers Weval.
The Palms continues to carry its legacy this Fall
for upbeat sonics and an open-to-close party atmosphere. The stage is led by Basement Jaxx (DJ Set), another British production powerhouse whose seminal tracks like ‘Where’s Your Head At’ (throwback, but still a banger) and ‘Romeo’ remain some of the most anthemic productions of all time. Overmono will bring their trend-defining broken beat sound to the fold, while the pinnacle of modern tech house flavors are showcased by fan favorites FISHER and Chris Lake b2b Cloonee. Attention shifts back to the international underground circuit with standouts like the emotive Grammy-nominee Jayda G, ‘Baddest of Them All’ dominator Interplanetary Criminal, TSHA, and an outrageous B3B from Etienne de Crecy, DJ Falcon, and Boombass.
Techno fans from all walks of life will agree
that City Steps remains one of North America’s most consistent showcases of storied 4/4 producers and leftfield wildcards. The genre’s biggest stars have gathered for CRSSD 2023 with a roster complete with Charlotte de Witte, Amelie Lens, and FJAAK (DJ Set). The dark corners of European club culture are brought to the light with sounds from the quick on her feet experimental producer HAAi, a special back to back from the always innovative Objekt and Call Super, and American high-voltage export Nikki Nair. Will Clarke and DJ Minx join forces with a multi-generational techno affair.
I’ve had my fair share of attending and working festivals since 2015, and of all the events I’ve ever attended CRSSD easily and without a shadow of a doubt claims to be in my top three events to attend. If the line up alone doesn’t sell you, come for the sunny San Diego vibes!